Houseboy injures spinal cord peeping at madam bathing

A 26-year-old domestic worker, Ubong Etu Nbomang, has injured his spinal cord while peeping at his female boss while she was having her bath.

He has been hospitalised at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta State, after falling and breaking his spine.

His boss is a top federal civil servant in one of the neighbouring states. The houseboy was alleged to have made holes around the bathroom door, through which he peeped at his boss whenever she was having a shower.

Our correspondent learnt that Nbomang had climbed on a platform to have a vantage view of his boss who is in her 30s.

A female friend to Nbomang’s boss, was said to have walked in and met nobody in the sitting room.

On hearing the sound of dropping water, she approached her friend’s bathroom out of curiosity, only to find the young man peeping.

The boss’s friend, (name withheld), who spoke to our correspondent after the incident, said as Nbomang was peeping, he held his private organ.

The guest, who trades in cooking utensils at the Ogbeogonogo Modern Market, said she shouted at him: “Nbomang, are you peeping at your madam?”

Nbomang, jumped off where he was and slipped on the wet tiled floor when he heard the visitor’s voice.

The unsuspecting boss, who was shocked by her worker’s groans, was said to have rushed out of the bathroom half-naked.

Her friend, while speaking to our correspondent, said, “I said to her: ‘So, you are not aware he has been here watching you as you were busy having your bath? I met him peeping, after asking for who was in the house without any response. I have been here for more than 15 minutes now without him knowing.”’

As she was telling her friend all these, Nbomang, still groaning in pains, asked his boss to forgive him and take him to hospital.

“Out of pity, the madam called her driver to take Nbomang to a hospital, while she later joined them at the hospital,” her friend added.

Speaking with our correspondent at the FMC, the boss, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said she was going to sack him.

She said, “Before now, I used to see him looking at me but I didn’t think otherwise because I saw it as nothing. It was when he was confessing that I got to know that he was the one that bore tiny holes on my door, which until this incident I never knew of.”

Nbomang, who also spoke to our correspondent from his hospital bed, pleaded, “Help me beg my madam, na devil work. Na my madam beauty deceive me.”

Authorities of the hospital told our correspondent that the injury could be treated.

Ooni nominated me as his succesor before he died – Adedoyin

The proprietor of Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Dr Rahmon Adegoke Adedoyin, is a prince from Ile-Ife (Agbedegbede/Oshinkola) Akui Ruling House. His  developmental strides, particularly   in the cradle of Yoruba land,  prompted the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, to honour him with the chieftaincy title of the Maye of Ife.

Adedoyin  also owns a university in the United States and two polytechnics in Nigeria among other investments.

Dr Rahmon Adegoke Adedoyin

In this interview, he speaks about the problems and prospects of education in Nigeria and how history and tradition favour him to emerge as the next Ooni of Ife.

How the journey began

This bold vision started   about 35years ago when I was an undergraduate at the then University of Ife. I was approached by a particular lecturer to coach his child in Mathematics. The success I recorded with that child led to his introducing me to a number of his other colleagues. By the time I graduated, I had established a fairly large home lesson such that I didn’t bother to look for a white collar job on the completion of my service year. Those familiar with the old Oyo State in the early 80s will remember the name Universal Tutorial College.

When the military government deregulated tertiary education in Nigeria, we took advantage of the opportunity to apply for the licence to run a polytechnic and, after crossing so many hurdles, Universal College of Technology, Ile-Ife, the first private polytechnic to be recognised by government, emerged and got accreditation with the National Board for Technical Education.

We later sought approval for a change in nomenclature which was granted in 2009 and so the Universal College of Technology, Ile-Ife changed to what is now called The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife.

We also sought approval from the National Universities Commission towards the establishment of a university  and with the assistance of notable Nigerians like the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, among others, the licence to run Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Ile-Ife was granted on November 3, 2009.

Why the name Oduduwa University?

When the idea of choosing a name for the university came up, people came up with different ideas as to the nomenclature, but I thought inside me that this dream is not mine alone, the project should glorify the entire Yoruba race and looking back into history, nobody or government has deemed it fit to honour the progenitor of the Yorubas in this manner. I thought it would be the most befitting honour one can give to honour such a great legend and we give glory to Allah that the National Universities Commission accepted it.

Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu is a child of destiny. The road to its recognition and eventual licencing by government was a long and tortuous one. The journey started about ten years ago. The process involved about 13 stages. There were series of facilities inspections by the National Universities Commission’s Standing Committee on Private Universities (SCOPU). We thank God that the series of visitations and documentations yielded positive results as we were finally given the operational license in 2009. At inception we kicked off with two Colleges; College of Natural and Applied Sciences and College of Management and Social Sciences

In the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, the university has degree programmes in Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Mathematics and Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics and Computer and Physics Electronics.

In the College of Management and Social Sciences, we offer degree programmes in Economics, Economics with Computer Science, Mass Communication and Information Technology, Accounting, Banking and Finance, Business Administration, International Relation and Public Administration

All these programmes are duly approved and accredited by the National Universities Commission and am happy to tell you that the university has turned out two sets of graduates who are already doing us proud in the labour market. Along the way, we have also got approval from the NUC to start the College of Environmental Design and Management with programmes in Estate Management and Quantity Surveying etc.

Structurally, the institution has also witnessed series of developments in the past 6 years; our well stocked University Library is a cynosure of all eyes. We have an imposing Senate Building, conducive and standard classrooms and lecture hall, well equipped and stocked studios and laboratories for the different programmes. We also have safe and comfortable accommodation for students and staff, while our health centre provide all round medical attention for all the member of the institution.

These are just a few of the facilities provided to make teaching and learning fun for all. The staff are well motivated as salaries and other emoluments are paid as at when due.

Assessment of Nigeria’s education policy

Candidly speaking, Nigeria’s problem has never been a lack of policy but in implementing the policies. I think many of our educational policies are also outdated. For example, in most advanced countries, the National and Higher National Diploma programmes have been phased out as polytechnics have been upgraded to degree awarding institutions even to the doctoral level. I think there is a need for the government to review this. Polytechnics are supposed to be the bedrock of technological development of any country, but because of the discrimination between holders of Higher National Diploma and Degree holders, most candidates clamour for university education thereby putting so much pressure on our university system. Nowadays most students don’t want to become teachers or go to Colleges of Education. The implication is grave for our educational development.

I will like to suggest to the federal government that our polytechnics and colleges of education be upgraded to degree awarding institutions up to doctoral level as obtained in United States and Britain.

Adequacy of  universities

The number of universities in the country is grossly inadequate to cater for the educational needs of the teeming populace. We need more universities because of access to university education but the problem presently in Nigeria is that existing universities do not have enough PhD holders to teach in our universities. PhD is the minimum qualification to lecture in universities.

Government should not approve any university for now, those who want to establish universities should affiliate their colleges to existing ones. They must use colleges and not universities. Government should expand the existing universities instead of proliferating the system.

As a prince from one of the ruling houses, do you have the capacity to emerge as the next Ooni of Ife?

Some elders are already encouraging me to do it. You know I was close to Oba Okunade Sijuwade. I got a lot of tutelage from him. I never expected that it (Oba Okunade’s death) would happen so soon. I feel that I should retire as an Ooni of Ife in the future.

In Ile-Ife, historically, Ajagun, the late Ademiluyi, pointed to the late Adesoji Aderemi as his successor while he was still alive. Similarly, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, while alive, pointed to Prince Okunade Sijuwade then as his successor while alive. While Oba Okunade Sijuwade was alive, he pointed to myself,  Rahmon Adedoyin, as his successor. No Oba in Ile-Ife will not point to his successor before leaving. The chiefs, the “Emeses”,  etc were all present there when kabiyesi said, “Ti oju ba yeju, ki ohun ma ye ohun” meaning, “when I’m no more,  don’t change my decision”.  Historically, if the wish of the predecessor is changed, the Oba only stays there for a short time.  Even history had it that an Oba who was forced there later died before he left ‘Ilofi”. I am not desperate to become the Ooni. I am sure you know I have plenty commitments being a proprietor of two universities and two polytechnics. I need not tell you I have commitments, I want to drop all and serve Ife.

My plans to develop Ile-Ife

Inspite of my busy schedule, even outside the country, out of 365 days in a year, I often spend over 200 in Ile-Ife and many people can attest to this. What this simply means is that i have lived all my life in Ife, so I know Ife problems and I have plans on how to solve them. I will offend many people if I start to enumerate them.

My activities in Ife as a jinx breaker is enough. One major fact however is tribal wars which I will never allow. I won’t allow crisis in anyway. When we have peace, we would have progress. Ooni is the world acclaimed leader of the Yoruba nation. He is the traditional leader of the Yoruba people. As  Ooni, I will identify political leaders, spiritual, business leaders, etc. I will try not to interfere in politics. Although implications might come, i will be very careful.

The next Ooni will not eat Sijuwade's heart - Ife Chief

The next Ooni will not eat Sijuwade's heart - Ife Chief

                                                         The late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade

The Araba of Osogbo land, Chief Yemi Elebuibon has said the heart of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Siuwade would not be fed to the next Ooni. Elebuibon said, “The eating of the heart of a departed King by an incoming one belonged to the past. It no longer exists. He said people still make the insinuation because many are barred from witnessing the burial of a king.

He stated that the incoming king will eat the heart of an animal and not that of a human. He added that nobody would be buried with the Ooni nor would anybody be killed for any form of sacrifice

How I cheated death 12 times – Obasanjo

How I cheated death 12 times – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has given insight into how he has so far escaped death by the whiskers at least a dozen times in his 78-year stay on earth.
In his latest three-volume autobiography, “My Watch”, Mr. Obasanjo wrote about how he survived infant mortality that consumed all but one of his siblings, how local herbs and concoction helped kept him alive after a life-threatening scorpion bite, and how he almost perished in the Ogun River while learning to swim.
The former president, who recently spoke to PREMIUM TIMES about the book, also narrated how he escaped unhurt in several auto crashes, and how he survived a plot by suspected assassins to kill him at the University of Ibadan.
Mr. Obasanjo narrated, “Being one of two of my mother’s surviving children (out of seven), I must have had the grace of God to cross the hurdle of infant mortality. The other five never lived up to age one. The vicissitudes of rural life and limited resources did not guarantee survival for children born in my time and in the place I was born. Growing up in the village I was bitten by a scorpion once, and I survived it. The local herb and concoction applied by the native doctor worked in my case. I heard later that it did not work in some other cases.Obasanjo-launches-book
“When I was in primary school in Abeokuta, I went to the Ogun River to try to swim. My friend and classmate who went with me urged me to dive with him into the water; I asked him to go in first and I would follow. He dived in and hit his head against a rock, and he never survived. My mother pulled my ear and warned me never to go to the river for swimming again. That marked the end of my attempt to learn swimming.
“When I was attached to the Welsh Guards in Pirbright, I had an accident while learning to drive. It could have been fatal for me and and for the oncoming motorcyclist, but we both survived. On returning to Nigeria, I had another accident in which the military vehicle I was driving without proper authority was a write-off. I survived with a fractured hand. As a young officer on a UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Congo Leopoldville, now Democratic Republic of Congo, I had an encounter with Congolese soldiers that could have been fatal.
“I returned home from the Congo and was posted to the Nigerian Army Engineers, where I had to learn to ride a motorcycle for reconnaissance purposes. I took a motorcycle ride out alone on training and had a nasty accident where, again, the motorcycle was damaged beyond repair, and I was saved by wearing a steel helmet. The story of my escaping death by the skin of my teeth during the civil war when four of my bodyguards died on the spot has been told elsewhere.
“When I left public office as a military head of state, I was appointed Distinguished Fellow of the University of Ibadan in the Institute of African Studies. I was given a house to stay in when I had work in the university. On one occasion, I was to give a lecture and to spend the night there; but curiously, I decided to inspect the whole building and the compound. I found, to everybody’s surprise, a neat hole cut through the glass window; and on the mosquito wire netting on the window was a hole close to the head of the bead, just big enough to accommodate the muzzle of a pistol. I never slept in that house again. The whole university community, and Professor Tekena Tamuno as the vice-chancellor, was alarmed.
“On my way from Abeokuta to Ogbomosho to attend the graduation ceremony of pastor Bolarinwa, who I sponsored to Baptist Theological Seminary, I was waylaid by armed robbers. They cut in front of my car to stop it, got out and shot into the air, and entered their car and drove off. Calmly, I got out of the car with my driver and other passengers. I came to understand that if they had known that I had been the one in the car, they would not have zeroed in on that car, or they would have killed me to avoid getting arrested. I also understood that the police followed them to a logical conclusion. In addition, I have heard all sorts of fetish stories about how people tried or were trying to kill me and how I escaped through supernatural powers. I neither believe in nor practice anything fetish.
“My greatest escape from untimely death was brought about through the machinations and snares of Abacha. Even that was God’s doing.”
Mr. Obasanjo said because of his several close shaves with death, people built a myth around him, circulating tales that he was more than an ordinary human being.
“Once, a writer described me as a man with seven lives,” the former President said. “That is, of course, an exaggeration; there is no man with more than one life. But when you have almost miraculously escaped death on a number of occasions, superstitions and myths are built around you. One might even be credited with powers that do not belong to one. For instance, being called ‘ebora’, which means spirit.”
Saying he does not believe or indulge in fetish practices, Mr. Obasanjo said he had remained alive till now simply because of God’s consistence generosity to him, a debt he said he would continue to pay by “thanking and worshipping God while placing myself unreservedly in the service of humanity and God”.
“In my opinion, to whom much is given, much must be expected. God has done so much to preserve my life and protect me,” the former President said.
“He has done so much to pave my way and crown my efforts with success. Bishop Hassan Kukah put it this way: “God has singled you out and has been overgenerous to you.” I agree with him. And I have nothing o do excerpt to keep thanking and worshipping God while placing myself unreservedly in the service of humanity and God, continuously on the watch. It is leadership and responsibility.”

BREAKING NEWS: Borno Deputy Gov Zanna Umar Is Dead

…To be Buried In Maiduguri By 4pm

Borno State Deputy Governor, Zannah Umar Mustapha is dead.

He was said to have died in his sleep.

His aides were said to have become disturbed when they did not see their boss wake up for the usual early morning prayers.
At about 8am when they forced their way into his room at the official accommodation, he was discovered dead.

According to reports, Zannah’s remains had been taken to the Federal Medical Hospital, Yola.

Mustapha is due for burial on Saturday (today) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at 4pm.

Mustapha has spent the better part of the last two weeks in Adamawa State where he has been receiving those displaced by the Boko Haram crisis in the North East from Cameroon.

About 12,000 Nigerians displaced by the insurgency are returning in phases from Cameroon.

Meanwhile, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has described the demise of Zannah as a huge loss to the state and Nigeria at large.

The speaker in his twitter handle — Yakubu Dogara (@doyakubu) said “thesudden demise of Borno state dep gov Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha is shocking and a huge loss to the state and Nigeria at large”.

Brothers MI, Jesse Jagz to set Benin on fire

Multi-talented musicians and siblings, MI Abaga and Jesse Jagz will be performing at the Star Music Trek concert scheduled to hold at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin on Saturday, August 15th 2015.

The two Choc Boi Nation artistes will make a rare joint appearance on-stage at the concert tagged #BeninRocks alongside artistes such as Burna Boy, Wande Coal, Sheyi Shay, DJ Neptune, DJ Switch and hometown girl Cynthia Morgan.

This will only be the second time since their much-publicised reunion that the Jos-born brothers will perform together onstage.

Speaking on the upcoming concert tagged #BeninRocks! MI Remarked, “I can’t wait to get in front of the crowd in Benin City and show them what I have for them.

It’s going to be a party”. Following BeninRocks! The 2015 Star Music Trek will berth in Ibadan on August 22 and finally Lagos on August 29.

Abdulsalami to Buhari: Nigeria not under military regime

THE General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee on the 2015 General Election has thrown its weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s war on corruption, but has cautioned him against the intimidation of any citizen in the process.

The committee, made up of eminent personalities, was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, for a meeting with the president.

Emerging from the meeting, Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, told State House correspondents that just like other Nigerians, the committee was not against Buhari’s fight against corruption, but was keen on due process being observed.

He observed that the country was no longer under a military administration and, therefore, everyone must be assumed to be innocent until proven guilty.

Bishop Kukah, who denied that the committee was at the Presidential Villa to intercede for former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, whose administration being probed, said Jonathan’s commitment to nation building and achievements were spectacular, adding that President Buhari appreciated that.

He said: “It is not heating up the polity. In our conversation with Jonathan and members of the parties, I don’t think any Nigerian is in favour of corruption or is against the president’s commitment to ensuring that we turn a new leaf.

“I think what we are concerned about is process. It is no longer a military regime and under our existing laws everybody is innocent until proven guilty.

“Again, our own commitment is not to intimidate or fight anybody. The former president’s commitment and what he did still remains spectacular and I think that President Buhari himself appreciates that. So, our effort really is to make sure that the right thing is done.”

Noting that the committee was not at the meeting on behalf of Jonathan, Kukah stated that even though the committee planned to see the former president in the course of its work, Jonathan had never contacted it for anything.

“Anybody is free to come to our committee, but President Jonathan never by telephone or another means talked to the committee. We went to see him, but that was after we had already seen members of the political party and members of the civil society,” he said.

Speaking the committee’s engagements, he said: “This is a very planned series of intervention essentially just to hear out everybody and I think the goodnews is that Nigerians are committed to a new nation, they are committed to ensuring that the gains and blessings God has given us come to fruition.”

He explained that the committee was not an intervention body, saying “this is not an intervention. It is not a hearing out process. When we had  election, it was like a wedding. Now, the reality of government is now the marriage and people need to be encouraged.

“We need to reaffirm that this is our country and the only thing we can collectively be opposed to is injustice, iniquity, corruption and in that regard we all had one single conversation.

“The president has also reaffirmed the need for this committee to continue and the international committee has very much welcomed the contributions of the committee. Essentially, we are not policing, but when the need arises, help to build confidence in the process.”

He revealed that the committee gave the president an update on the relevance of the peace committee “and how we can help to nurture what God has given to us.”

At the meeting were the chairman and former head of state, General Abubakar, who led the delegation; the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III; the Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, John Cardinal Onayeikan; the Primate of Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh; President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Bishop Hassan Kukah, Senator Ben Ndi Obi and Chief Priscilla Kuye.

Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari, has said the prosecution of persons who have stolen national resources will begin in a matter of weeks.

The president declared that his administration was irrevocably committed to doing all within its powers to break the vicious cycle of corruption, unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria.

He said those who have stolen the national wealth “will be in court in a matter of weeks and Nigerians will know those who have shortchanged them.

“Nigeria has to break this vicious cycle before we can make progress,” adding that his administration was diligently getting  facts and figures  pertaining to the nation’s stolen funds, before proceeding to the prosecution of identified culprits.

Buhari told General Abubakar and members of his committee that the Federal Government, under his leadership, would not only ask for the return of  stolen funds that have been stashed in foreign banks, but would also ensure that those who stole the funds were put on trial  in Nigeria.

The president also said that as part of its actions to address the national problems it inherited, his administration was reorganising Nigeria’s revenue-generating institutions.

He explained that a single treasury account had been established for all federal revenues to ensure greater probity, transparency and accountability in the collection, disbursement and utilisation of national funds.

Buhari added: “We have really degenerated as a country. Our national institutions, including the military, which did wonderfully on foreign missions in the past, have been compromised, but we are doing something about it. The military is now retraining and morale has been resuscitated.

“As Petroleum Minister under General Olusegun Obasanjo  in the 1970s, I could not travel abroad until I had taken a memo to the Federal Executive Council, asking for estacode. Now, everybody does what he wants.

“That is why security-wise and economically, we’re in trouble.”